Pub Date : 2022-07-13DOI: 10.1080/14724049.2022.2098963
Jonathon Spring
ABSTRACT The aim of this research is to investigate the interplay of tourists, nature, learning and memorable yet sustainable wildlife experiences in order to understand how, why, and where learning occurs during a tour, and what may hinder the learning process experienced. Participant observation and interviews of 67 tours and 122 interviews over a three-year period using Critical Incident Technique and narrative methods to identify the 10 case studies used in this paper. Interviews covered visitors and guides and thematic analysis was used to identify three main themes and ten sub-themes. These led to the development of a model of learning opportunities through wildlife tours. The model situates visitor experience in terms of the temporal nature of the wildlife tour and four key zones that impact on the ability of visitors to learn during their tour – zones of infrastructure and services; Guide-Visitor-Interaction; perceived constraints and interaction with wildlife. Learning, experiencing, reinforcement or stasis are the four states connected to the experiential outcomes of interpretation. The findings demonstrate the complexity involved in how visitors cognitively interpret, evaluate, and appraise their tour experiences and confirm the need to use an approach that captures the dynamic nature of tourist experiences.
{"title":"Nature-based tourism and guided wildlife tours: designing wildlife tour experiences that optimise sustainable learning opportunities","authors":"Jonathon Spring","doi":"10.1080/14724049.2022.2098963","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/14724049.2022.2098963","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT The aim of this research is to investigate the interplay of tourists, nature, learning and memorable yet sustainable wildlife experiences in order to understand how, why, and where learning occurs during a tour, and what may hinder the learning process experienced. Participant observation and interviews of 67 tours and 122 interviews over a three-year period using Critical Incident Technique and narrative methods to identify the 10 case studies used in this paper. Interviews covered visitors and guides and thematic analysis was used to identify three main themes and ten sub-themes. These led to the development of a model of learning opportunities through wildlife tours. The model situates visitor experience in terms of the temporal nature of the wildlife tour and four key zones that impact on the ability of visitors to learn during their tour – zones of infrastructure and services; Guide-Visitor-Interaction; perceived constraints and interaction with wildlife. Learning, experiencing, reinforcement or stasis are the four states connected to the experiential outcomes of interpretation. The findings demonstrate the complexity involved in how visitors cognitively interpret, evaluate, and appraise their tour experiences and confirm the need to use an approach that captures the dynamic nature of tourist experiences.","PeriodicalId":39714,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Ecotourism","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2022-07-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42614240","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-06-30DOI: 10.1080/14724049.2022.2075003
Ivana Šagovnović, I. Stamenković
ABSTRACT The environment often suffers harmful consequences caused by the irresponsible behavior of individuals and businesses. In this sense, neither the tourism industry nor tourists are spared these accusations. Therefore, tourism literature highlights the significance of exploring tourists’ eco-friendly attitudes and behavior and determinants of the formation of both eco-friendly attitudes and behavior. Additionally, consumer literature sheds light on how important green marketing is in changing consumers’ behavior and leading them towards greener consumption behavior. Nevertheless, existing tourism literature on the role of green marketing approaches in predicting tourists’ eco-friendly attitudes and behavior is quite scarce. Hence, the principal aim of the research was to investigate whether the green marketing tool – green packaging and branding, influences tourists’ eco-friendly attitudes and behavior. Additionally, the present paper focused on tourists’ preferences toward green packaging. In an effort to establish this, survey research was conducted among 368 Serbian tourists. The results showed that green packaging and branding positively shape tourists eco-friendly attitudes and behavior, and that attitudes represent significant predictor of behavior. The valuable contribution of this paper lies in practical implications for destination marketers, which highlight how the promotion of green products in tourism could enhance potential tourists’ eco-friendly attitudes and behavior.
{"title":"Investigating values of green marketing tools in predicting tourists’ eco-friendly attitudes and behavior","authors":"Ivana Šagovnović, I. Stamenković","doi":"10.1080/14724049.2022.2075003","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/14724049.2022.2075003","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT The environment often suffers harmful consequences caused by the irresponsible behavior of individuals and businesses. In this sense, neither the tourism industry nor tourists are spared these accusations. Therefore, tourism literature highlights the significance of exploring tourists’ eco-friendly attitudes and behavior and determinants of the formation of both eco-friendly attitudes and behavior. Additionally, consumer literature sheds light on how important green marketing is in changing consumers’ behavior and leading them towards greener consumption behavior. Nevertheless, existing tourism literature on the role of green marketing approaches in predicting tourists’ eco-friendly attitudes and behavior is quite scarce. Hence, the principal aim of the research was to investigate whether the green marketing tool – green packaging and branding, influences tourists’ eco-friendly attitudes and behavior. Additionally, the present paper focused on tourists’ preferences toward green packaging. In an effort to establish this, survey research was conducted among 368 Serbian tourists. The results showed that green packaging and branding positively shape tourists eco-friendly attitudes and behavior, and that attitudes represent significant predictor of behavior. The valuable contribution of this paper lies in practical implications for destination marketers, which highlight how the promotion of green products in tourism could enhance potential tourists’ eco-friendly attitudes and behavior.","PeriodicalId":39714,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Ecotourism","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2022-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48829425","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-06-22DOI: 10.1080/14724049.2022.2091581
Erose Sthapit, Peter Björk, Dafnis N. Coudounaris
ABSTRACT This study tests a new model for memorable nature-based tourism experiences by examining the effects of novelty, experiencescape, experience co-creation, experience intensification and satisfaction. The study also examines the relationship between memorable nature-based tourism experiences, place attachment and tourists' environmentally responsible behaviour. Data were gathered from tourists who visited a national park within the three months preceding the data collection period (January-March 2021) using an online survey questionnaire distributed through Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) in March 2021. This study's main contributions include the expansion of the memorable tourism experience construct and the inclusion of four key variables that influence place attachment in the formation of tourists' memorable nature-based tourism experiences. The relationship between place attachment and tourists' environmentally responsible behaviour was also shown to be significant.
{"title":"Memorable nature-based tourism experience, place attachment and tourists’ environmentally responsible behaviour","authors":"Erose Sthapit, Peter Björk, Dafnis N. Coudounaris","doi":"10.1080/14724049.2022.2091581","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/14724049.2022.2091581","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT This study tests a new model for memorable nature-based tourism experiences by examining the effects of novelty, experiencescape, experience co-creation, experience intensification and satisfaction. The study also examines the relationship between memorable nature-based tourism experiences, place attachment and tourists' environmentally responsible behaviour. Data were gathered from tourists who visited a national park within the three months preceding the data collection period (January-March 2021) using an online survey questionnaire distributed through Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) in March 2021. This study's main contributions include the expansion of the memorable tourism experience construct and the inclusion of four key variables that influence place attachment in the formation of tourists' memorable nature-based tourism experiences. The relationship between place attachment and tourists' environmentally responsible behaviour was also shown to be significant.","PeriodicalId":39714,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Ecotourism","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2022-06-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46188276","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-06-03DOI: 10.1080/14724049.2022.2076858
Steven E. Mock, E. Halpenny, Rebecca Koroll, Clara-Jane Blye, P. Eagles, Dylan Flannery, C. Lemieux, S. Doherty
ABSTRACT We use a model of psychological commitment to better understand the diverse motivations that enhance behavioural loyalty to parks and protected areas. Psychological commitment reflects the degree to which an individual identifies with, wants to learn about, and chooses freely to engage with a particular phenomenon, and these factors, in turn, lead to greater loyalty and resistance to alternatives. With data collected from 634 park visitors in Alberta, Canada, we tested demographic variation and motivations that may be linked to this process of commitment. Women were more likely than men to see park visits as a reflection of their identities and also had a greater sense of volition regarding park visits. Older adults wanted to know more about the parks and also had a greater overall level of commitment. Psycho-social, spiritual, and economic motivations varied in terms of their associations with commitment, but these associations were always positive. Few variations in motivations by demographic characteristics were found. Finally, a combined assessment of commitment was associated with greater behavioural loyalty (e.g. duration and number of park visits). Park agencies can use these findings to attract and retain visitors and facilitate park experiences, with special emphasis on motives and demographic variations.
{"title":"Factors affecting psychological commitment and loyalty to parks and other forms of protected areas in Canada","authors":"Steven E. Mock, E. Halpenny, Rebecca Koroll, Clara-Jane Blye, P. Eagles, Dylan Flannery, C. Lemieux, S. Doherty","doi":"10.1080/14724049.2022.2076858","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/14724049.2022.2076858","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT We use a model of psychological commitment to better understand the diverse motivations that enhance behavioural loyalty to parks and protected areas. Psychological commitment reflects the degree to which an individual identifies with, wants to learn about, and chooses freely to engage with a particular phenomenon, and these factors, in turn, lead to greater loyalty and resistance to alternatives. With data collected from 634 park visitors in Alberta, Canada, we tested demographic variation and motivations that may be linked to this process of commitment. Women were more likely than men to see park visits as a reflection of their identities and also had a greater sense of volition regarding park visits. Older adults wanted to know more about the parks and also had a greater overall level of commitment. Psycho-social, spiritual, and economic motivations varied in terms of their associations with commitment, but these associations were always positive. Few variations in motivations by demographic characteristics were found. Finally, a combined assessment of commitment was associated with greater behavioural loyalty (e.g. duration and number of park visits). Park agencies can use these findings to attract and retain visitors and facilitate park experiences, with special emphasis on motives and demographic variations.","PeriodicalId":39714,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Ecotourism","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2022-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42602738","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-05-29DOI: 10.1080/14724049.2022.2080215
J. Palli, Chiara Cagnetti, Cesare Emanuel, S. Ferrari, G. Filibeck, T. Forte, C. Franceschini, A. Giorgi, V. Leoni, S. Poponi, A. Ruggieri, G. Piovesan
ABSTRACT Ecotourism is increasing in protected areas but assessing its sustainability and contribution to nature conservation remains a challenging task. Guides, located at the interface between various stakeholders (park managers, local communities and tourists), can provide insight into the environmental dimension of ecotourism. However, people may perceive the value of natural ecosystems differently, according to the bio-geographical regions in which they live. In this study, 109 questionnaires (36% response rate) obtained from guides operating in protected areas of two different bio-geographical regions in Italy – the Alps (temperate) and Apennines (Mediterranean) – were analysed. All guides acknowledged the key role of protected areas and the importance of sustainable tourism for nature conservation. Differences emerged over issues such as the perception of the ecological impact of forestry or the reasons tourists choose to visit protected areas. Whereas in the temperate region ecotourism is mainly focused on the enjoyment of outdoor recreation, in the Mediterranean region, the discovery of villages and local and organic food represent relevant attractions. Guides are pivotal in raising tourist awareness of sustainability, explaining biodiversity conservation strategies and reducing ecotourism’s ecological footprint. However, findings reveals that up-to-date training in conservation ecology is necessary to achieve environmental sustainability goals.
{"title":"The environmental dimension of ecotourism in Italian protected areas: a comparison of two bio-geographical regions based on the assessment of accredited hiking guides","authors":"J. Palli, Chiara Cagnetti, Cesare Emanuel, S. Ferrari, G. Filibeck, T. Forte, C. Franceschini, A. Giorgi, V. Leoni, S. Poponi, A. Ruggieri, G. Piovesan","doi":"10.1080/14724049.2022.2080215","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/14724049.2022.2080215","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Ecotourism is increasing in protected areas but assessing its sustainability and contribution to nature conservation remains a challenging task. Guides, located at the interface between various stakeholders (park managers, local communities and tourists), can provide insight into the environmental dimension of ecotourism. However, people may perceive the value of natural ecosystems differently, according to the bio-geographical regions in which they live. In this study, 109 questionnaires (36% response rate) obtained from guides operating in protected areas of two different bio-geographical regions in Italy – the Alps (temperate) and Apennines (Mediterranean) – were analysed. All guides acknowledged the key role of protected areas and the importance of sustainable tourism for nature conservation. Differences emerged over issues such as the perception of the ecological impact of forestry or the reasons tourists choose to visit protected areas. Whereas in the temperate region ecotourism is mainly focused on the enjoyment of outdoor recreation, in the Mediterranean region, the discovery of villages and local and organic food represent relevant attractions. Guides are pivotal in raising tourist awareness of sustainability, explaining biodiversity conservation strategies and reducing ecotourism’s ecological footprint. However, findings reveals that up-to-date training in conservation ecology is necessary to achieve environmental sustainability goals.","PeriodicalId":39714,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Ecotourism","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2022-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43946449","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-05-29DOI: 10.1080/14724049.2022.2077355
Vimala Kunchamboo, V. Little
ABSTRACT Most ecotourism research focuses on logical, expressed desires, while deeper meanings (or symbolic desires), are less well understood, perhaps because elicitation is difficult. Consequently, prior research is relatively limited on the deeper motivations driving ecotourism behaviour. To address that lack, an ethnographic study of nature-based tourism activities in Malaysia and a symbolic interactionist approach is taken to unpack hedonic meaning-making. The data gave rise to four ecotourist archetypes: The champion, the adherent, the acolyte, and the spa-goer, for ecotourists seeking trial, spiritual, learning and purification benefits, respectively. The study provides both greater insight into how to use ethnographic research to elicit symbolic desires in ecotourism, and practitioner support for the design and delivery of more fulfilling nature-based tourism experiences. The archetypes can be viewed as a symbolic benefits-based market segmentation schema, forming the basis for developing more effective targeting, positioning, branding and value propositions for nature-based tourism activities.
{"title":"Four ecotourism archetypes: expressing symbolic desires","authors":"Vimala Kunchamboo, V. Little","doi":"10.1080/14724049.2022.2077355","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/14724049.2022.2077355","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Most ecotourism research focuses on logical, expressed desires, while deeper meanings (or symbolic desires), are less well understood, perhaps because elicitation is difficult. Consequently, prior research is relatively limited on the deeper motivations driving ecotourism behaviour. To address that lack, an ethnographic study of nature-based tourism activities in Malaysia and a symbolic interactionist approach is taken to unpack hedonic meaning-making. The data gave rise to four ecotourist archetypes: The champion, the adherent, the acolyte, and the spa-goer, for ecotourists seeking trial, spiritual, learning and purification benefits, respectively. The study provides both greater insight into how to use ethnographic research to elicit symbolic desires in ecotourism, and practitioner support for the design and delivery of more fulfilling nature-based tourism experiences. The archetypes can be viewed as a symbolic benefits-based market segmentation schema, forming the basis for developing more effective targeting, positioning, branding and value propositions for nature-based tourism activities.","PeriodicalId":39714,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Ecotourism","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2022-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41258275","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-05-29DOI: 10.1080/14724049.2022.2079651
Bailey Ashton Adie, Babak Taheri, M. Gannon
ABSTRACT Using a mixed-methods approach, this study investigates value co-creation within the context of natural heritage tourism. It focuses on those visiting the largest lake-water cave in the world: Alisadr, Iran. Semi-structured interviews (n = 22) were conducted to explore visitor experiences, complemented by a face-to-face questionnaire (n = 850) investigating the relationships among perceptions of value co-creation, leisure involvement, perceived experience value, satisfaction, and braggart word-of-mouth. The findings demonstrate that perceived value co-creation, leisure involvement, and perceived experience value influence visitor satisfaction and braggart word-of-mouth, with theoretical and managerial implications provided by way of conclusion.
{"title":"Natural heritage tourism: does co-creation matter?","authors":"Bailey Ashton Adie, Babak Taheri, M. Gannon","doi":"10.1080/14724049.2022.2079651","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/14724049.2022.2079651","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Using a mixed-methods approach, this study investigates value co-creation within the context of natural heritage tourism. It focuses on those visiting the largest lake-water cave in the world: Alisadr, Iran. Semi-structured interviews (n = 22) were conducted to explore visitor experiences, complemented by a face-to-face questionnaire (n = 850) investigating the relationships among perceptions of value co-creation, leisure involvement, perceived experience value, satisfaction, and braggart word-of-mouth. The findings demonstrate that perceived value co-creation, leisure involvement, and perceived experience value influence visitor satisfaction and braggart word-of-mouth, with theoretical and managerial implications provided by way of conclusion.","PeriodicalId":39714,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Ecotourism","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2022-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45623533","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-04-13DOI: 10.1080/14724049.2022.2055046
Julia R. Branstrator, C. T. Cavaliere, Lina Xiong, David W. Knight
ABSTRACT Through a critical pedagogical framework, global conservation initiatives are integrated to curate a transformational extended reality (XR) curriculum in nature-based tourism (NBT). This proposed design affects visitors’ protected area experience and supports human–wildlife relationships through XR exposure (before), peak NBT experiences (during), and post-experience reflections (after). The authors’ XR design entitled Knowing Wolves (KW) is inspired by Colorado’s publicly approved Gray Wolf reintroduction legislation and reorients the visitor experiencescape as a conduit for wildlife agency after exposure to critical thinking engagement for biocultural conservation. The authors analyze four international initiatives featuring human–wildlife criteria including the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria, the Convention on Biological Diversity post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. The XR curriculum challenges practices of colonial conservation, integrates environmental intersectionality and critical inquiry to support engagement with posthumanism philosophy and agency of oppressed groups.
{"title":"Extended reality and sustainable tourism: restorying human–wildlife relationships for biocultural conservation","authors":"Julia R. Branstrator, C. T. Cavaliere, Lina Xiong, David W. Knight","doi":"10.1080/14724049.2022.2055046","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/14724049.2022.2055046","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT\u0000 Through a critical pedagogical framework, global conservation initiatives are integrated to curate a transformational extended reality (XR) curriculum in nature-based tourism (NBT). This proposed design affects visitors’ protected area experience and supports human–wildlife relationships through XR exposure (before), peak NBT experiences (during), and post-experience reflections (after). The authors’ XR design entitled Knowing Wolves (KW) is inspired by Colorado’s publicly approved Gray Wolf reintroduction legislation and reorients the visitor experiencescape as a conduit for wildlife agency after exposure to critical thinking engagement for biocultural conservation. The authors analyze four international initiatives featuring human–wildlife criteria including the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria, the Convention on Biological Diversity post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. The XR curriculum challenges practices of colonial conservation, integrates environmental intersectionality and critical inquiry to support engagement with posthumanism philosophy and agency of oppressed groups.","PeriodicalId":39714,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Ecotourism","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2022-04-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43297459","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-03-28DOI: 10.1080/14724049.2022.2048841
Lin Li, Yinxiao Dong, Tao Zhang, Hongyi Wang, Huiting Li, Angfei Li
ABSTRACT Ecotourism is a promising solution for channeling tourism revenues to promote nature conservation and poverty alleviation. However, vulnerable social-ecological conditions may limit the effects of ecotourism in dry rangelands around the world. This study implemented a paired experimental design to survey social-ecological impacts of ecotourism in Ergun grassland, one of China’s most commended ecotourism regions. Compared with livestock feeding business, local ecotourism achieved several sustainable development goals, such as providing income for local people, improving community cooperation, and raising conservation awareness. However, ecotourism caused the loss of forb species and subsequent decreases in ecosystem services. Therefore, ecotourism still had room for improvement in this region, considered the epitome for ecotourism in dry rangelands of China. Besides, climate change and adverse market conditions limited ecotourism to provide enough revenues for local people. Hence, it was better to integrate ecotourism and livestock feeding rather than replace livestock feeding with ecotourism in grassland conservation. In addition, although community-based ecotourism had showed its advantage in this region, it is out of the local community’s capacity to establish a fair market institution and build the necessary infrastructure. Further community engagement and multiple stakeholders’ cooperation are needed to ensure both better public services and vibrant communities.
{"title":"Environmental and social outcomes of ecotourism in the dry rangelands of China","authors":"Lin Li, Yinxiao Dong, Tao Zhang, Hongyi Wang, Huiting Li, Angfei Li","doi":"10.1080/14724049.2022.2048841","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/14724049.2022.2048841","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Ecotourism is a promising solution for channeling tourism revenues to promote nature conservation and poverty alleviation. However, vulnerable social-ecological conditions may limit the effects of ecotourism in dry rangelands around the world. This study implemented a paired experimental design to survey social-ecological impacts of ecotourism in Ergun grassland, one of China’s most commended ecotourism regions. Compared with livestock feeding business, local ecotourism achieved several sustainable development goals, such as providing income for local people, improving community cooperation, and raising conservation awareness. However, ecotourism caused the loss of forb species and subsequent decreases in ecosystem services. Therefore, ecotourism still had room for improvement in this region, considered the epitome for ecotourism in dry rangelands of China. Besides, climate change and adverse market conditions limited ecotourism to provide enough revenues for local people. Hence, it was better to integrate ecotourism and livestock feeding rather than replace livestock feeding with ecotourism in grassland conservation. In addition, although community-based ecotourism had showed its advantage in this region, it is out of the local community’s capacity to establish a fair market institution and build the necessary infrastructure. Further community engagement and multiple stakeholders’ cooperation are needed to ensure both better public services and vibrant communities.","PeriodicalId":39714,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Ecotourism","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2022-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47851607","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-03-15DOI: 10.1080/14724049.2022.2052080
Ramesh Paudyal, Rojan Baniya, B. Thapa, Suman Shree Neupane, K. Birendra
{"title":"Motivation and service quality relationship with visitor satisfaction and loyalty intentions in a mountainous protected area","authors":"Ramesh Paudyal, Rojan Baniya, B. Thapa, Suman Shree Neupane, K. Birendra","doi":"10.1080/14724049.2022.2052080","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/14724049.2022.2052080","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":39714,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Ecotourism","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2022-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47773692","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}